I seem to remember posting about this Memorial some time ago and that I was intending to research the names inscribed thereon. yesterday, the 8th of September, was the 100th anniversary of the death of the first of those recorded (chronologically) on the Memorial. I have started a Facebook group (how thoroughly modern) on which I will post on the 100th anniversary of the deaths of all those recorded. Look up St. Andrew’s Church Memorial Walsall on Facebook and it will find the page. Feel free to pop in and have a look or even join if you are so inclined. but first, here’s a copy and paste of what I put up yesterday to commemorate the death (and life) of Private Thomas Elton…..
My intention is to write a piece about each of the casualties recorded on the Memorial exactly 100 years after their death. With this in mind, 8th September 1914 brings us the first entry. Some entries will contain very little detail whilst others will be more detailed and extensive. I am trying to bring information from as many sources as possible to tell each individual story. Any mistakes will be entirely my own and for any that do creep in I apologise in advance.
I suspect Walsall entered the war in much the same way as any other city, town or village. A mixture of optimism and jingoism. The town hosted a Territorial unit of the South Staffordshire Regiment. With the mobilisation of Regulars, Territorials and Reservists, Walsall saw an influx of young men enlisting in those first few weeks of war. After all, it was an adventure not to be missed. I suspect the people of the town experienced a huge range of emotion, excitement, anxiety and the shedding of a few tears. Mere drops in the ocean of tears spilled worldwide.
Over the coming weeks, a new phenomenon was to be experienced by the people of the Parish, a phenomenon that was to bring both joy and misery, sorrow and pain, hope and despair. but more of that later.
September 8th 1914 was to bring the first casualty to be recorded on the Memorial. No-one could have imagined that the casualty list would become so extensive, It’s hard to believe now 100 years on. Living in the Parish all my life, many of the surnames are familiar to me. Now, men I have never met are becoming familiar to me as I try to learn more about their all too brief lives. But for now, we travel back to the formative years of Thomas Elton.
Thomas was born in 1895, the son of George Elton of 86 Green Lane, Walsall. Little is known of his childhood but his trade is given as that of bottle washer. Like many local men, Thomas joined the Territorial Army and he enlisted in Wo9lverhampton as 9202 Private Thomas Elton, 3rd Battalion South Staffordshire Regiment. On enlistment he was said to be 5 feet 3 and 1/8th inches tall and weighed 8 stones and 8 pounds. Blue eyes and brown hair complemented his fresh complexion. Curiously, he was recorded as being a Roman Catholic even though he is commemorated in an Anglican Church.
In March of 1913, most likely disillusioned by a lack of prospects for employment, Thomas joined the Regular Army becoming 11435 Private Thomas Elton, 2nd Battalion the Royal Scots (Lothian Regiment.) He joined the Battalion at Plymouth.
On the outbreak of war the Battalion embarked for France on the 11th August 1914, disembarking at Boulogne on the 14th. For Thomas, the war was to be savage, bloody and short. Over the coming weeks Thomas saw action at Mons, Le Cateau, Cambrai and St. Quentin. It was here that the retreat stopped and chapter XIX of The Story of the Royal Scots records the following…..
“It is difficult to form a mental picture of the heroisms of this long trial of endurance and high courage during the great retreat, but they were countless. The Royals had held their position at Cambrai for nearly two days, and were busy at the last fight of the retirement, which took place at Saint Quentin. After it they fell back to Meaux, where the domes of Paris could easily be seen. Then came the turning movement.”
It was during the subsequent counter attack that the Royal Scots were ordered to take Orly-sur-Marne. It was in the fight for this village that, in circumstances unknown, Private Thomas Elton was killed in action.
Back in Walsall, the fog of war was to cause heartache for the Elton family. It was reported in the Walsall Observer that the family received three separate telegrams stating that Thomas had been wounded. In the meantime, it appears that comrades of Thomas had written to the Elton family telling them of his death in action. Thomas has no grave and is therefore commemorated on the Memorial at La-ferte-sous-Jouarre. I strongly suspect that Thomas had been erroneously reported as wounded and missing at first, hence the confusion.
Thomas was almost certainly not the first casualty from Walsall, he probably wasn’t even the first from the Birchills, but he was the first to find a place on the Memorial and I suppose personally that’s the significance of all this. I’ve grown up seeing that Memorial virtually every day but it is only in recent years that I have seen the true significance of it.
I hope, in some small way, I can do justice the names inscribed there, and in so doing, repay maybe just a little of the debt that will be forever owed.
I know it’s completely off topic but would the Moderators consider posting this in Historic to give it a wider audience? I would be most grateful should that be possible.
Regards,
Kevin Mears
By: kev35 - 9th September 2014 at 20:14
The first few months will be relatively quiet but obviously as the war progresses the pace, sadly, will quicken. It’s the enormity of it all that overwhelms me whereas, conversely, it’s the minutiae that intrigues me. I can’t look at the Memorial without thinking of Sassoon’s ‘intolerably nameless names.’ It now turns out that five and possibly six brothers actually lived next door to me in 1911. Three died, two survived but with wounds yet only two are commemorated on the Memorial, one of whom is recorded both on the Memorial and by the CWGC with the wrong first name. I feel saddened that some of the entries will be little more than name, rank and number, however, others will have a very extensive entry.
It’s a learning curve, sometimes a steep one, and sometimes you find things that you wish you hadn’t, but that is the nature of history.
Thanks for your kind comments.
Regards,
Kevin Mears.
By: victor tango - 9th September 2014 at 19:22
Kevin
What a task you have set for yourself and all credit to you.
How many years do we all live in our towns and villages passing the war memorial and take it for granted. Then someone says (like you) the names on these memorials should be brought back into our lives as the people they were .You are researching their upbringing prior to the conflict which after 100 years is a job and a half. Then you have to go into the military records, not easy.
I mention this, rather clumsily so that other readers can appreciate your efforts.
I wanted to do the same with a WW1 memorial locally as out of the 53 names listed there were 5 named Chaplain. I realised was this a father and 4 sons or was it 5 sons, anyway the thought of their loss for one family was pretty emotional.
If I can assist you in any way please contact me.
TN
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September 9, 2014 at 10:14 am